Kissed By A Rose
by Elegantica
Summary: Following the fall of the great King of Evil, Ganondorf, Link is persuaded by Princess Zelda to go back to a time prior to becoming the Hero of Time. It's the final straw for our hero when his childhood love interest, Saria, rejects him. Seeking to end his accumulating pain, he makes a deal with his darker half and falls into a trap. Can the curse be broken before it's too late?


**Author's Note: This story is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. I had this mulling about in my** **head for a while, and although I write, this is officially my**

 **first public LoZ fanfic on this site! It** **takes place post Ocarina of Time. Please note that I will also be writing up song lyrics (not my** **own) that I think fit**

 **with** **each chapter's overall theme and mood. There is not much else to say** **about this chapter so, I hope you enjoy!**

 **~x~x~x~**

You carry on and I'll stay behind

Don't get me wrong and I won't subscribe

And dream of what I feared that I never should

You may not agree and I won't keep trying to make you see

That all I have is worth the risk to me

Yeah, one day down the line

I'm gonna turn around with my head held high

One day down the line

I'm gonna turn around and take what's mine

Time will tell me the price I've gotta pay

Rising and falling, tomorrow's another day

Time will tell me the price I've gotta pay

Living is nothing without a little faith

–Time Will Tell by Jova Radevska –

 **~x~x~x~**

 **~ Prologue ~**

"It's over...I-It's finally over," a feminine voice said, attempting to choke back a sob.

A figure came into view amidst the falling cloud of dust. Standing there, was a young woman wearing a long satin dress with pink overtones. It was covered in symbols only found on a Nohansen, more specifically, someone who was part of the royal family of Hyrule. Her long golden tresses were a mess, matted against her bloodied forehead. Her cerulean eyes appeared to be brimming with tears as she observed her surroundings in disbelief-amazed at what had become of the place she used to call home.

Beside her, stood a young man in forest green garments. He wielded an impressive-looking shield on his right arm, one most likely forged by a Hyrulian blacksmith who was master of his craft. In his left hand, was a blade that appeared to have been used throughout history. It glowed brightly despite the lack of light.

The castle was in shambles, resembling something closer to old ruins as oppose to a palace suited for prestigious royals. It had collapsed under Ganondorf's pernicious efforts to crush them both beneath the rubble. Only segments of the large infrastructure remained, mainly the stones that were used to build its foundation. Despite there being innumerable items resting on the barren ground, both could only guess what their original structures had been; far too much debris lingered around them to tell.

Surprisingly, some materials were still recognizable. Different colored flags with Hyrule's national symbol were torn and burnt-partially covered by dirt. Fragments of armored suits and weaponry had been scattered, along with down feathers and pieces of fabric. Broken glass shards, some of which were stained with intricate patterns but mostly ones that were plain, protruded from the darkened soil. It was the epitome of chaos.

Suddenly, crimson light escaped through the cracks of the aggregated mass in the middle of the area, where most of the castle's remains were laid to rest.

It was not over yet.

 **~x~x~x~**

"Link! The Master Sword is here, hurry!" yelled a frantic Zelda.

He immediately turned his gaze towards her, commencing to run back to where she stood. Fear and urgency was evident in her eyes.

It was embedded in the ground beside her.

With exhaustion nipping at his heels, he somehow managed to make his way over to her. Link let out a shaky breath, almost as if he were unsure of whether to do so or not, before he grasped it with both hands and heaved-unearthing the sacred blade.

He paused momentarily, eyes scanning her over to ensure she wasn't seriously harmed in any way, before noting his own injuries.

His limbs were burning with white hot pain, neurons firing rapidly. Muscles were aching from the constant wear and tear the prolonged fight induced. The most notable, was the adrenaline he felt coursing through his veins-unfaltering throughout his battle-worn body.

A determined look was set upon his face. He would not fail. Not after every trial he prevailed against to be here in the first place.

Fighting through his plight, Link tightened his hand's grip on the hilt of the sword. He mentally thanked Farore when he saw the right piece of the Triforce symbol's beckoning glow. Not wasting another moment, he turned on his heel, marching onward in the direction of the panting beast. Ganon rose slowly. He held fury in his golden eyes, along with the purest form of Din's power exuding from him in waves.

The battle had resumed, indicated by a thunderous roar that was surely heard for miles.

 **~x~x~x~**

Upon Ganon's subsequent collapse, a pure light of energy had made impact, penetrating his skull.

"Hurry, Link! Deliver the final blow and end the Evil King's reign once and for all!" shouted Zelda, promptly clenching her teeth thereafter. Sweat formed on her brow as her face flushed.

She had summoned fourth what was obviously a great deal of her life energy. Once the powerful ray of light ceased, she fell to her knees. Her hands rested upon them as she did her best to catch her breath. Exhausted beyond measure, she found the strength to look up and gave Link a brief nod, signaling that his time was now or never.

He did not hesitate.

Gripping the Blade of Evil's Bane, he lunged for the fallen beast. He leaped lithely in the air, and then landed, simultaneously driving the purified blade right through his throat. Ganon bled profusely. Din's gift appeared to be leaving his mangled body for the last time as he metamorphosed back into his original Gerudo form.

Having enough time to recover from the spell she had casted, Zelda rose up off the ground. She clasped her hands together and spoke in a now raspy voice, "Six Sages… Now…!"

Back in the Temple of Light, the Sages stood on their respective symbols. Rauru announced, "Ancient Creators of Hyrule! Now, open the sealed door and send the Evil Incarnation of Darkness into the void of the Evil Realm!"

The Sages became spheres of light, merging together to form the portal that would consume Ganondorf and drop him into the abyss, ultimately leading to his demise.

"You...Curse you, Zelda! Curse you, Sages! Argh, and especially, curse you… _Link_ _!"_ Ganondorf bellowed as he fell into a seemingly endless, vacant space. "Someday…When this seal is broken…That is when I will exterminate your descendants! As long as the Triforce of Power rests within me… This is not the _last_ you will see of me!" he promised.

 **~x~x~x~**

He was perplexed as to why he appeared to be floating in the sky. The sun's piercing light touched the clouds, reflecting off of the collection of vapor beautifully.

In the midst of admiring the tranquil scenery, he began to panic. Where was he? Great Farore, had he died after dealing that final blow to Ganondorf?! He knew the extent of his injuries were grave enough to leave him incapacitated for weeks, but death? No, he couldn't be. Had he? A sense of relief washed over him as Zelda appeared in front of him.

Her eyes soften slightly as she spoke to him. "Thank you, Link… Thanks to you, Ganondorf has been sealed inside the Evil Realm. Peace will once again reign in this world… At least, for a time." Then, a different emotion was cast in them.

Regret.

She continued, "All the tragedy that has befallen Hyrule was my doing. I was so young and could not comprehend the consequences of trying to defend the Sacred Realm. I dragged you into it, too."

He could not believe his ears. She was blaming herself when Ganondorf had everyone, including them, fooled? He frowned deeply, lips pursed. His chest constricted around his heart while he attempted to find the words to defend her selfless behavior.

"Zelda, it was not entirely your fault. I _did_ offer to help you. Your intentions were honorable and the execution, I believe, was necessary in order to protect the Triforce. Ganondorf was surreptitious in his scheming; you were one of the few who saw through his guise. He had waited until I opened the door in order to claim it for himself." He explained patiently.

She gave him a small smile, but he couldn't be fooled. Guilt was coming off of her in waves.

"Be that as it may, now it is time for me to make up for my mistakes… You must lay the Master Sword to rest and close the Doors of Time… However, by doing this, the road between times will be closed…"

He gasped, shocked by her statement. She wished to send him back in time? After everything he had been through to restore peace to the land? He wondered if his memories would remain intact or be wiped out completely, unsure of which scenario was more frightening.

"P-Princess! You cannot mean to tell me you are sending me back in time?!" Link exclaimed, although he already knew the answer.

"That is exactly what I intended to do. Link, if you give the Ocarina to me, I can return you to your original time. Peace has returned to Hyrule, it is time for us to say goodbye…" Her voice lingered on the last word. The days where she guided him disguised as her alter-ego Sheik were over. She would be lying if she said she wouldn't miss him. The only thing she knew with certainty was that he could always come visit her younger self at the castle.

He, on the other hand, could not utter another word. His mind was full of unanswered questions; his heart was filled to the brim with unexplainable emotions.

She gave him a reassuring smile. "Now, go home, Link! Regain your lost time. Home…where you are supposed to be, the way you are supposed to be."

"Princess Zelda, I...Thank you for everything. Please, take care of yourself." He lowered his head for a moment, realizing Zelda was doing this for his own good. She truly was a princess worthy of her title. He had no doubt, the kingdom would be in good hands ruled by her heart of gold and Nayru's blessed wisdom.

Although he was ambivalent about the proposition, he would accept his fate. Not only because he wanted to put her guilt to rest, but because something else struck him right then in that moment. Mido, had in fact, mentioned that Saria was waiting for his younger self to return to Kokiri forest. He knew that this occurred long ago when he was on his way to the Forest Temple, but that was irrelevant. He would be returned to a time where he hadn't even thought about leaving the forest.

She had feelings for him, and he was thrilled.

Over the course of his childhood and quest, he had developed feelings for her as well. As much as he wished to possess the adult form he had currently, he knew it would probably be best to let time run its natural course. Besides, a well-deserved break was calling his name.

With newfound purpose, Link swiftly took the ocarina out of his belt alongside his other tools, now stretching his arm out towards Zelda. Her hand reached out towards it, fingertips touching his and moving past them until they glided over the magical instrument. He noted that her touch was tender and weary. She then grasped the ocarina, carrying it into her own hands.

A circle of blue light surrounded Link as Zelda began playing the Song of Time. He was lifted by it slowly, going higher up the more it progressed.

"Thank you, Link. Goodbye…" She uttered gently.

"Goodbye, Zelda." he said with a smile, bidding farewell as he looked down upon her. He was ever so grateful for her care and consideration.

 **~ End Prologue ~**

 **~x~x~x~**

The blue light reappeared in the Temple of Time, lowering Link onto the Triforce marking.

Once his feet touched the floor, he proceeded to make his way over to the pedestal, where he would conclude his mission assigned by the Goddesses. He moved haltingly towards the steps in the adjoining room and began to climb them at an agonizingly slow pace. When he finally reached it he drew his blade, savoring the sound of steel scraping against the metal of the scabbard.

Pausing for a moment, he looked at the pedestal. This would be the last time he ever wielded the enchanted blade.

He wondered what it would be like, going back to where he started. Wondered if he would truly be satisfied with his choice. The princess may have urged him to go back, but he was in control of whether or not he'd follow through with her wishes. He knew he no longer served much purpose in Hyrule at this time, yet for a brief moment, the hesitation of starting over pressed against his conscious.

Then, his thoughts turned back to Saria. Was he not the chosen one whom wielded the Triforce of Courage? What a coward he was now, despite everything he had been through. He'd be damned if he let fear overtake him, especially now. He _loved_ her. He would go to the ends of the earth if it meant her happiness.

Going back meant that he could court her properly, he reasoned. That he could give their feelings a chance to flourish, grow deeper than they already were. Link could see it happening. They'd marry with the Deku tree sprout's blessing. And from that day fourth, he'd make each of their days together memorable.

With a reluctant sigh, he decided to think of it as a new journey he would embark on.

He raised the Master Sword skyward before sheathing it into its rightful place.

 **~x~x~x~**

 **Author's Note: Dun! Dun! Dun! I bet you're all wondering what I have in store for the following** **chapters. Well, I'm not going to tell you, mwahahaha! I do,**

 **however, promise they will be written** **with the same passion and vigor as this one! Thank you in advance for any reviews and I hope** **that it captivated**

 **some people's interest. I hope you'll let me know what you think if you like it,** **and let me know what you think even if you don't! Till next _time_.**

 **Pun totally intended.**

 **P.S. Is there anyone out** **there willing to help me with the plot? I have a few ideas but feedback would be much appreciated. Feel free to** **send me a** **private**

 **message, or write it in the reviews if that person is** **you, I promise I won't bite!**


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